UCT experiences

[zaffa]

Hi everyone

DSS (14 year 9)has suspected ADHD and anxiety and has been diagnosed with attachment disorder. He has an EHCP with 30 funded hours and he hates school, often leaving school premises or being rude / not following instructions. We think the suspected ADHD plays a big role in the impulsivity of getting into trouble and are midway through diagnosis.

Someone has mentioned UCTs to us as an alternative to mainstream education (he absolutely hates school) and the alternative teaching methods along with smaller class sizes and preparation for the working world sound appealing for him, but we aren't sure if there are aspects that would make it unsuitable for someone needing his level of support.

He mostly needs the LSA support to regulate and help him make smart decisions, rather than the actual work - he is behind and wont engage to catch up but I think that is closely linked to difficulty concentrating and having missed so much schooling due to behavioural issues.

Has anyone sent their child to a UCT (especially with SEN) and what has their experience been?

Didn't want you to go unanswered but I think you might be better asking MNHQ to move this over to the SN Teen section.

First, to help with searching, they are UTC (university technical colleges).
A number of them really didn't do very well, our local one has closed.

If this is his school suggesting, I would think whether they are genuinely trying to help, or just offload him elsewhere.

You aren't going to have much 'choice' of UTC there are only 47 in the whole country https://www.utcolleges.org/ so it might be best to start with where any local ones are and drill into them hard. A poster here might have a rubbish one, but yours might be fab.

He may well still have to do maths, English and Science GCSE.

If there is a course he is interested in, and the UTC is good, it could be a great move. GCSEs are very academic these days, even the practical options.